The establishment of appropriate patterns of behavior in children is crucial in social development. The parent is confronted with the ongoing question of why a child should do what is expected of him or her, rather than what he or she feels like doing. Whether spoken or unspoken, the child's attitude is often determined by the related question: "What's in it for me?" One parental response to this has been the liberal application of physical punishment or the withdrawal of privileges. As any parent knows, this policy has not always been successful.
Studies in behavior modification have suggested that rewards and punishment, when clearly defined in advance, can keep a child aware of the advisability of doing what is expected. There is then a tendency to take away the element of personal domination by the parent, which is offensive to the child's ego. The program can take on an air of objectivity that can decrease the intensity of the state of conflict common in most households.